Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Meet the Panther Chameleon, a Reptile native to Madagascar that has also been introduced to the nearby islands of Reunion and Mauritius.

Panther Chameleons are one of the popular pet Chameleons, due to the dazzling color patterns exhibited by the males. They show off vivid blue, green, and even pink patterns, and their specific habitat range can have an effect on their overall appearance. Females can also be colorful, but are typically a duller brown or green. Pinks and yellows appear during the breeding season.

Panther Chameleons are masters at catching and consuming invertebrates. They have projectile tongues that they can whip out and extend towards prey, and the tips of these tongues are sticky for perfect grabbing precision.

In the past, the export level of these Chameleons was as high as 15,000 individuals per yer. Such numbers were cause for concern, but they have now been reduced. Though Panther Chameleons are still popular reptilian pets, they are thankfully listed as being of Least Concern in the wild.IUCN Status : Not ListedLocation :MadagascarSize : Length around 20in (51cm)